Mentorship Program

The McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra Mentorship Program

An integral component in forming the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra was developing an educational outreach program for our youth and community.
Jason Lim pioneered the Mentorship Program in 2012 to allow exceptionally talented high school students to rehearse and perform side-by-side with the orchestra's professional musicians.
One of the main criteria for students to participate in the Mentorship Program though not limited, is a student's selection to participate in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-state orchestra. The Mentorship program is available exclusively to senior members of the Young Artist Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra.

Mentoship Program Participants 2023-2024

Helena Ocampo Ramos began playing the violin in sixth grade. She is currently a senior at Lebanon Trail High School, where she has served as concertmaster of the Symphonic and Chamber orchestras. She has placed in Region 24’s All-Region orchestra for the past four years and has competed in numerous regional competitions, garnering several outstanding awards—sixth place in the Dallas Symphonic Festival Concerto Competition, and Judge’s Choice Award in the Jazz-Pop Festival & Contest. Her musical knowledge extends to piano, which she has been playing for four years, and music theory, for which she is a TMTA Theory Test silver medalist.
Helena has been a member of the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra since seventh grade, and has been concertmaster of Symphony Orchestra and Young Artist Orchestra for the past two years.

Caleb Carroll is a senior trumpet player from Wylie East High School in Wylie ISD. He began playing the trumpet in the 6th grade and has been in the Wind Symphony at his school for the past four years. In addition, he was a section leader and a featured soloist for two years in the marching band that qualified for the state marching contest three years in a row. He has been a member of the All Region Band since junior high and has placed in the All-Area Jazz Band and the All-Area Band while also earning first division ratings and being named Outstanding Soloist each year. He was a featured piccolo trumpet soloist in Indianapolis at the Music for All National Festival in 2023 and has received awards such as the Pride of the East Musician Excellence Award, Most Outstanding Jazz Award, and the Outstanding Marching Award. He plans to attend the University of Houston and major in Music Education and Performance.

Lilah Hardin is a current Junior at The Colony High School. She presently serves as principal horn for the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, as well as fourth horn for the Fort Worth Medical Orchestra. Amongst her accomplishments, she has received a division 1 rating on all of her solos for the annual TMEA Solo and Ensemble competition for the past five years, and has been able to represent The Colony High School by performing in the TMEA 5A All-State Band.
Lilah has been invited to appear as a feature soloist with the 2024-2025 McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra subscription concert series and will be performing Strauss' Horn Concerto.

Keira Barber is a senior in high school. Though she has been homeschooled her whole life, she is currently attending Collin College for dual credit. She has been playing the clarinet for seven years and has made the All-Region bands and area in both her years of high school. She has been with GNTYO for three years and hopes to continue a music career into the future and play throughout college.

Ryan Batt is a senior at Frisco High School, and he is in his 7th year of playing the harp. After joining the GNTYO’s Young Artist Orchestra, he has grown greatly as a musician and will continue his growth as an Instrumental Performance Major at Oklahoma City University starting in Fall of 2024. Batt also enjoys arranging in his free time, previously winning the 2023 FISD Annual Harp Recital Arrangement competition. He plans to continue his development as a musician before college, attending the American Harp Institute to learn from Yolanda Kondonassis as well as performing his first solo recital.

Mentorship Program 2022-2023

Audrey Tan, Cello (Lone Star High School, Frisco ISD) a junior at Lone Star High School, began playing the piano when she was 4 years old and cello when she was 9. She has been placed in Region 24's All-Region Orchestra since middle school, as well as receiving 1s on all her cello performances at UIL's Solo/Ensemble contest. She is the principal cellist of GNTYO's Symphony Orchestra, as well as at her school’s top orchestra. In addition, she teaches piano part-time and is president of her school’s Tri-M chapter. She hopes to continue playing music after high school as well as pursuing a career in computer science. Audrey is currently studying cello with Mr. Joseph Kuipers.

This is Audrey's second year as recipient of the Mentorship Program.

Mentorship Program 2021-2022

Audrey Tan, Cello a junior at Lone Star High School, began playing the piano when she was 4 years old and cello when she was 9. She has been placed in Region 24's All-Region Orchestra since middle school, as well as receiving 1s on all her cello performances at UIL's Solo/Ensemble contest. She is the principal cellist of GNTYO's Symphony Orchestra, as well as at her school’s top orchestra. In addition, she teaches piano part-time and is president of her school’s Tri-M chapter. She hopes to continue playing music after high school as well as pursuing a career in computer science. Audrey is currently studying cello with Mr. Joseph Kuipers.

Justin Poteet, Tuba is currently 15 years old, and a sophomore at Lovejoy High School. He has been playing the tuba for five years. Recently he made fifth overall in All-Region, and sixth the year before. This is his second year with the GNTYO.

Mentorship Program 2020-2021

Presley Alvin, Oboe is a senior at Frisco High School. She started her music career in 6th grade playing the oboe at Staley Middle School under Shaun Gray and Chad Wood. Presley has been the lead oboist in the Frisco High School Wind Symphony since her sophomore year with her band directors David Simon and Mathew Courtney. She has studied with Shirley Goh for the past four years. Going into high school, Presley also decided to pick up the saxophone, taking lessons with former UNT one o'clock lead tenor saxophonist Kyle Bellaire. In her studies, she expanded her knowledge of music theory and learned jazz improvisation. She has been a member of the Frisco High School Jazz Band for 3 years and the lead tenor saxophonist for 2 of those years. Presley loves to explore her role as a leader in her band, being the saxophone section leader during her junior year of high school and head drum major her senior year. She loves to serve and inspire others around her through music. During her senior year of high school, Presley also picked up the English horn, featured in her band's UIL Performance, and received a superior rating. Outside of her high school's band, Presley is also a Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra member under her director Jason Lim.

Presley has received many awards throughout her music career, such as the Outstanding Musicianship Award for Oboe and Saxophone during her junior year and the United States House of Representatives Certificate of Congressional Recognition, presented by Congressman Van Taylor for "Drum Major Conducting with Heart" during her senior year. Next year, Presley plans to continue her music career at the University of North Texas and join their marching band and university band while majoring in international studies.

Mentorship Program 2019-2020

We are proud of our Youth Orchestra Concertmaster, Katie Cox (Violin) and Melissa Pearson (Viola) who has been selected to participate in The McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra's Mentorship Program.

Katie Cox is a homeschooler who began her musical journey on her 5th birthday when she received her first violin. Since then, she has grown as a musician through various opportunities. At the age of 8, she was a member of the Texas Old Time Fiddler’s Association where she was introduced to and enjoyed playing Texas style fiddling. At the age of 9, she began her orchestral experience with the Lone Star Youth Orchestra. Katie continued her orchestra experience with the New Conservatory of Dallas and with four years in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. Currently, she has the privilege of serving as concertmaster for the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra as well as participating in the GNTYO Celtic Ensemble. She has spent summers attending intensive music programs including Tifs, under the direction of Jan Mark Sloman, UNT Summer String Institute, Credo Music Festival in Oberlin, OH, and Baylor University Band and Orchestra Camp. Katie is a student of Stephen Page, concertmaster of the Las Colinas, Garland, and Arlington Symphony Orchestras. She enjoys teaching young violin students herself and has done so since the age of 14. Katie also plays violin and piano in her church worship band. Next fall, she hopes to attend Baylor University School of Music majoring in violin performance and wants to pursue a career as a traveling musician.

Melissa Pearson is a senior at Coram Deo Academy. She grew up around music. The youngest of four girls, she and her sisters each began piano lessons starting at an early age. In fact, her first exposure to the piano was for a Christmas production while in preschool. She continues to study piano, winning the 3rd place trophy in the Richardson Music Teachers Association Jazz Festival and can be found most Sundays playing the prelude music for an adult Sunday school class at her church. In second grade, she began violin lessons in addition to piano lessons. At the end of 8th grade she made the switch from violin to viola and in 10th grade she transitioned into the studio of Dr. Daphne Gerling, professor of viola at the University of North Texas. Melissa has been a member of the 2018 and 2019 TPSMEA All State Orchestra, participated in the University of New Mexico Summer Music Institute, the University of North Texas Summer Strings Institute, McKinney Summer Music Intensives, and the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra Camp. She has been a part of the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra since its beginning and has been the principal violist for the past two years. In March, 2018, she performed side by side with the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra. She also is a member of the First Baptist Dallas Adult Orchestra and performs with them every Sunday and for special events. In addition to her viola and piano, she has been a member of her school’s choir throughout high school and currently holds the title of choir president. Melissa has been accepted at Baylor University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Texas at Arlington. Her college plans are to study music education with an emphasis in instrumental music and viola.

Mentorship Program 2018-2019

We are proud of our Youth Orchestra Concertmaster, Michelle Martey (Violin), Betheline Sarfo (Violin) and Samantha Preuitt (Bassoon) who has been selected to participate in The McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra's Mentorship Program.

Michelle Martey began playing violin at the age of 11 with the Staley Middle School Orchestra in Frisco. There, her passion for music and performing sprouted. Currently studying under Dr. Anne Bonnett, she has participated in the Region 24 Orchestra all 4 years of her high school career. She has received a superior solo rating at the All-State Solo and Ensemble competition. Passionate about improving her skills, she has attended various camps and has worked with many wonderful musicians from the metroplex including Dr. Eka Gogichashvili of Baylor University and Angela Fuller-Heyde the principle violinist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. She also attended the Summer Music Intensives camp under the direction of Jason Lim. She currently serves as the concertmaster of the Wakeland High School varsity orchestra under the direction of Luidmila Duston, and has done so since her freshman year of high school. She currently also serves as the concertmaster of the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, a position in which she is proud to uphold. Next year, Michelle plans on furthering her music education at The University of North Texas to pursue a major in music performance.

Betheline Sarfo is a senior violinist at Wakeland High School who began playing at the age of nine. She attended Schimelpfenig Middle School where she served as concert master all three years, performing numerous solos. During the first semester of her freshman year she was a part of the second highest orchestra at Jasper High School, a school with a very prominent orchestra program in Plano, under the direction of Mr. Matthew Moreno. The next semester she joined the Wakeland Varsity orchestra under the direction of Mrs. Luidmila Duston and currently serves as the president of the orchestra. She studied under private instruction with Ms. Meagan Sparks until her junior year and now studies with Ms. Marina Dichenko, concertmaster of the Odysseus Orchestra. Betheline heard about the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra through her high school director and attended the Summer Intensives the summer before her junior year and joined the GNTYO in the fall of her Junior year. In addition to GNTYO, Betheline currently performs with her church every Sunday. Throughout her high school career, she has earned Superior ratings in Solo and Ensemble and performed in the All-Region 24 Orchestra in 2016. In the future, Betheline hopes to continue playing the violin as a hobby as she pursues an International Relations major at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa.

Samantha Preuitt started playing bassoon in 2012. She began taking private lessons with Carole Lyons and has been unstoppable since. The summer of her sophomore year Sammy switched lesson teachers and started studying with Ryan Morris. She became the principle bassoon and contra-bassoon for the Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra at Berkner High School and has maintained that position throughout her high school career. In 2016 she participated in a clinic with Frank Ticheli in preparation for a concert with the Berkner Symphony Orchestra in Chicago at the Mid-West Convention. In 2016, Samantha was a member of the Region 10 All Region Concert Band on bassoon, and High School Symphony Orchestra on contra-bassoon. She was also a member of the All Region Symphonic Band during her junior and senior years. Sammy has been a leader in the Mighty Ram Band serving as Librarian her sophomore and junior years, and as Drill Instructor for the woodwind section her senior year. After graduation, Sammy would like to pursue a degree in Music Education and Performance. Samantha is hoping to attend Texas State or Texas Christian University in the fall.

Mentorship Program 2017-2018

We are proud of our Youth Orchestra Concertmaster, Shaunessy Renker who has been selected to participate in all of McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra's Subscription Concerts as a Mentorship Program Participant.

Shaunessy Renker began playing the violin when she was seven years old and has been studying under Ronald Neal, founder of the Dallas Chamber Orchestra and former student of Ivan Galamian. When in Germany, she studies under Dr. Peter Gries, the director of the Musikacademie in Kassel. At age 11, Shaunessy made her solo debut when performing with the Dallas Chamber Orchestra. Shaunessy has done solo and chamber master classes with Ralph Fielding (Lynn University), Julia Bushkova (University of North Texas), and Arkady Fomin (Dallas Symphony Orchestra). She played in the New Conservatory of Dallas for six years and was the Associate Concertmaster of its top orchestra which performed at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. Ms. Renker attended the North Texas School of Irish Music for two years and has recorded a CD with them. She has been with the Dallas Millennial Orchestra since 2013 and participated in the orchestra tour and CD recordings across the U.S. In the past five years, Shaunessy has attended the Music in the Mountains summer program in Durango, Colorado and the acclaimed Meadowmount School of Music in upstate New York. She has also been a top prize winner at the Dallas Symphonic Festival, Texas MTNA Competition, and Collin County Young Artist Competition. In addition, Shaunessy is the founder of Brighter Future for Kids music program, a community outreach for underprivileged kids for which she provides free instruments, teaches them weekly lessons and organizes recitals for them in the McKinney, TX area. Besides classical music, Shaunessy also likes to explore other genres like Jazz, Pop, and Irish fiddling.

“Having the opportunity to play with the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra through the mentorship program was incredible. It is an entirely different experience playing with professional musicians where you really learn how to blend with the rest of the orchestra. It was a treat to learn the ins and outs of being an orchestral musician and discuss with all the players over what kind of sound to aim for. You have the opportunity to build your repertoire and establish connections with all these amazing musicians. I will never forget my time with Odysseus, I learned so much and was able to improve my orchestral playing.”

Shaunessy Renker
2018

We are also proud of Maren Flechsig who has been selected to perform in two of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra Subscription Concert Series performances.

Maren Flechsig is a high school senior who is homeschooled, currently living in Aubrey, Texas. She has known that she wanted to play the violin since age five while living in Arizona. Maren received her first violin at six years old and began taking lessons soon after. When she was in elementary school, she joined the Cadet Strings, a beginner orchestra under the West Valley Youth Orchestra umbrella. While with the Cadets, she was named concertmaster for one season and even performed an arranged solo in Vivaldi’s Spring. After two years in the Cadet Strings, she advanced to the West Valley Youth Orchestra.

In 2011, she moved to Texas, where she began entering violin competitions and honing her skills on the violin. Her first public solo was at her church, where she performed Vittorio Monti’s Czardas. Starting her freshman year in high school, she competed in the Texas All-Region High School Orchestra competitions. She has achieved All-Region every year of high school, and also recorded for All-State her junior year in 2016, and hopes to earn All-State level this year.

To refine her skills, for the past two years, Maren has attended string camps and worked with professional musicians. In 2016 she participated in the Summer Music Intensive sponsored by the Odysseus Orchestra. She was chosen as concertmaster of the Sinfonietta Orchestra. Maren was also accepted into the University of North Texas Summer String Institute camp in 2017, where she was the first violinist in her quartet.
During the 2016-2017 season, she was one of two student performers invited to play as part of the Odysseus Orchestra in two performances of Peter and the Wolf. Maren currently performs as a Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra member as second chair of first violin under the baton of Jason Lim. Maren will also be one of a limited number of students performing with the Odysseus Orchestra at various concerts in the 2017-2018 season.

Mentorship Program 2016-2017

Maren Flechsig - violin (Junior) , Home School (Member of the Frisco Youth Symphony) with Maestro Jason Lim, after the Family Concert Series of Peter and the Wolf

Mentorship Program 2015-2016

Conductor Jason Lim with 2015-16 Mentorship Participants Janet Park and Benjamin Hsu from Wakeland High School

Mentorship Participant Daniel Chan from Boyd McKinney High School

Testimonial Letter from Benjamin Hsu

I had the great honor of rehearsing and performing with Maestro Jason Lim in November of 2015. I am senior currently at Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas. The experience was like no other before. The orchestra was tight knit, more akin to family than friends or acquaintances.

The rehearsals were much more productive in comparison to school orchestra rehearsals. Maestro Lim always knew what he was doing, the exact sound that he wished to create through this harmony of instruments. At the first rehearsal, however, I was not sure what to expect. I had performed and participated in other ensembles such as the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, and All State Orchestra, but never in an actual adult organization.

This was a key step in experiencing what the musical world beyond high school would be like. It was incredible how in just a few rehearsals we could go from complete dissonance to a professional performance. I would recommend all aspiring musicians to partake in such an experience, as it is vital to learning what one truly wishes to pursue as a career.

Sincerely,
Benjamin Hsu, Cello, Wakeland High School

Testimonial Letter from Daniel Chan

I want to express my appreciation and support for the mentorship experience that I was grateful to be a part of. As someone who hopes to pursue a career in music performance, one of the most valuable tools that is available to me is being able to work with and learn from the examples that this orchestra set.

I was fortunate enough to have this type of experience as a member of the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra. The knowledge and advice that these orchestra members had for me is priceless and I know that it will benefit me many times in my future.

Daniel Chan, McKinney Boyd High School

Mentorship Program 2014-2015

Testimonials from Wakeland High School Students

"What a pleasure it has been to be able to perform alongside such a prestigious group! I am truly honored to have been invited to be a part of the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra. Having participated in the mentorship program has allowed me to bask in the raw, unprecedented beauty of music, due to such a high-caliber repertoire. Throughout the week that I had engaged in the program, I was given a chance to hone in on technical precision, as well as musicianship. Following the final concert, I regained an affinity toward music, as well as my ability to "think in sound". I am grateful to have acquired a complex range of musical abilities as a result of participating in such a wonderful program."
Janet B. Park, 2015

"Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to play with the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra. The experience of rehearsing and performing with professional musicians was unlike any musical experience I'd ever had, and through your leadership, I've gained a greater appreciation for music. Playing one of the greatest symphonies ever written was an incredible blessing, and I am glad that I was able to make music among people who have a heartfelt and genuine passion for music-making. I hope that all goes well for your organization in the future, and that you will become an integral part of Frisco's burgeoning culture!"
Jae Choi, 2015

Mentorship Program 2012-2013

"My experience in the Odysseus Chamber Orchestra was like nothing I had ever experienced in high school. It was the first oppourtunity I was given that enabled me to play a professional program of music with career musicians who have the same ability and passion for music that I hope to have in the future. It was inspirational to sit among them and play alongside them."
Nigel Dean, 2012

"Odysseus gave me a confidence boost as well as a lesson in performing with an orchestra. Now I know for sure that I want to pursue music as a career."
Beckah Maxwell, 2012